Post navigation

Improvise – Adapt – Overcome!

Those of us who develop a handicap or disability often find ourselves unable to function in the non-handicapped world. Tools, kitchen utensils, even toothbrushes seem to defy our ability to use them. Perhaps others in our families just don’t understand why we can’t continue to function as usual.

My handicap is rheumatoid arthritis (RA). I am blessed to have a mild-to-moderate case at this point. I am careful to add the “at this point” because I never know from day to day how I will be the next day. I could suddenly find myself completely unable to walk, to use my hands, to raise my arms. And so it goes. There is the pain factor – not to be sneezed at – and the fatigue factor – another misery, as if the RA patient didn’t have enough to worry about.

My motto is a saying that my ex-Marine husband uses a lot: “Improvise, Adapt, Overcome.” I need to Improvise and Adapt in order to Overcome the disabling effects of my RA.

So this blog (which supersedes “Ancient Reptile”) will detail the various things that can be used to Overcome disabilities. There will be a new post about twice a week, sometimes more often, and frequently accompanied by photos to show how something works in the “real” world of one handicapped / disabled woman.

There will be, I hope, some guest posters, who will share their accommodations to their disabilities. In addition, I hope you, the readers, will contribute comments that will include suggestions for items to use or ways to do things. If you have suggestions for how this blog should be arranged and organized, I’m all eyes (and ears)!

It will be several days before the next post, but, in the meantime, I hope you will subscribe via RSS or e-mail.